Bridget Williams

Bridget’s passion for helping others and active citizenship was fostered during her time as president of the Student Volunteer Army at the University of Canterbury. She is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, curator of the Christchurch Hub and currently in her third term as an elected community board member representing the Fendalton, Waimairi and Harewood Ward.  

After practicing as a lawyer for three years, Bridget founded Bead and Proceed: a social enterprise that exists to educate people about the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Her work with Bead and Proceed has allowed her to combine sustainability with creativity and grow a community of people who are passionate about achieving the agenda’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. 

The idea behind Bead and Proceed is simple — bringing people together to each make a five beaded necklace, keyring or bracelet that represents the top five SDGs they want to work on. While painting people open up about their chosen SDGs and come up with innovative solutions to achieve them. For every kit purchased another is donated to a low decile school or deserving community organisation to help spread awareness and align with the 2030 agenda to “leave no one behind’.